Finalists In the 1994-1995 Harry Singer Foundation Project

Alternatives: Proposals For Local Governments Struggling With Limited Resources

In the fall of 1994, the Harry Singer Foundation invited a limited number, of mostly small-town schools, to take part in a pilot program. Students were required to find ways to stretch the resources of local government and make services more responsive to the desires of citizens. The Foundation hopes to gradually add larger communities, and offer categories for innovative state and national projects.

Volunteers at the Foundation narrowed the entries to 22. They were then edited and sent to the National Center for Financial Education in San Francisco, California, where they were reduced to five. These five were then forwarded to a consultant and former-public official in Minnesota who has been in the forefront of the reinventing government movement; the innovative mayors of Indianapolis and Houston, 12 governors, two former-governors and two members of the United States Congress. Many had the help of staff, but all read the proposals and expressed an interest in what these young people had to say.

The final entries are reproduced on the following pages, just as they were seen by the reviewers at the National Center for Financial Education in San Francisco. Across from each paper we reveal the school and participants, information that was kept from judges.

This project was a logical extension of our continuing Responsibility and White Hat programs. Over the years, through student submissions and other sources, we have collected stories of good-things going on around the country, in both the public and private sectors. These inspirational examples have been accessible to anyone with a computer and a modem since the fall of 1993.

Third Place Winner

Meadow Bridge High School, Meadow Bridge, West Virginia

Teacher
Ed McCall

Students
Stacey Gilkeson
Melanie Crist
Renee Willis
Harmony Burwell
Rebecca Mullins
Brandy Roberts
Ramona Acord
Lisa Kincaid
Teddy Claypool
Laura Claypool
Kevin Harper
Bleau Gwinn
Dustin Gwinn
Aaron Brown
Patti Reed
Crystal Stallman
Kelly Martin
Shannon Harrah
Michael McClung
Lori Ramsey
Shannon Fox
Leslie Gilbert
Teresa Sims
Diana Ford
Audrey Brandstetter
Danny Meadows
Davonna Bowles
Bethany Fox

Indoor Swimming Pool and Fitness Trail

Meadow Bridge is a small rural community with a high unemployment and poverty rate. Because of its size, Meadow Bridge cannot provide the recreational facilities or after school jobs for its youth that are often available in larger communities. Therefore, our young people face unfilled afternoons, evenings and weekends which unfortunately is leading to increased drug use, alcohol and crime. Sadly, the greatest loss to young people in this situation is a general lack of motivation to enrich their lives and fulfill otherwise attainable dreams.

The Activity

In order to save money and stretch the opportunities and resources of the local government, students of Meadow Bridge High School conducted their own polls to find out what type of facility would best suit the community.

The first group of students gave fifty residents the opportunity to choose a facility or service, not presently offered or offered on a limited basis, that they would like to see instituted in our community. Among the choices were: a public park, a police department, a recycling center, a homeless center, an animal shelter, a soup kitchen a community and nutritional center for the elderly and a wellness center.

A second group of students polled the media. Questions were asked concerning: taxes, service cuts, the services offered in different communities, benefits of recreational programs and money-saving tips. Ten elected officials were also on the list to be polled, but six refused to speak to the students.

When we analyzed the 127 responses resulting from all polls we discovered that the most popular choice was a park, followed by the wellness center.

The Project

With the poll results in mind, our class discussion centered around improving the recreational facilities available in our community and the surrounding communities. The important element was to utilize and maximize what we already have available. The high school recently built a new gymnasium which has vacant property adjoining it which belongs to the school system. This area is a natural site for the addition of a recreation center.

We decided that because we are a low income community, any improvements should be offered free to residents. This decision reinforced the proposal to utilize the property at the high school and enhance recreation facilities available to our community.

The detailed proposal for improvements to this land include:

1. Building an indoor swimming pool adjoining the new gym: This setting could be utilized by our entire community. A major function of the indoor swimming pool would be to provide a place for our community to exercise even during the winter months.

2. A fitness trail surrounding the entire property: Our community is crossed by two state roads, is without sidewalks or a gravel shoulder that would provide a safe area for improving fitness. The fitness trail is needed and would be used.

3. A playground for younger children: At the present time Meadow Bridge has one set of swings which is located right beside a busy state road and most parents do not feel it is a safe place for their children to play. We desperately need an improved playground where our children could begin earlier to maintain better physical fitness in a safe environment.

4. A ball diamond: This would allow for local leagues to be formed leading to increased community involvement and participation.

5. An arboretum and nature walk: They would be built around an existing stream. This area would be an ideal spot for families to picnic, have family reunions and so forth.

Incentives and Disincentives

Flooding of this land is the major obstacle. However, this could be overcome by working in cooperation with the Department of Natural Resources or the Southern Soil Conservation District to improve drainage. Preparing this land for community use continues to be a logical and ideal solution for meeting the need while using property that would not have to be purchased.

Finances needed for construction of the indoor swimming pool and outdoor recreational facilities would be obtained from both local and state sources. Community funding might come from local businesses, city council, county commissioner, county board of education, and private organizations such as Kiwanis, Alumni Association and the School Improvement Council. State funding could be obtained through grants from the Meadow Bridge Economic Development, Community Development, Office of Economic Opportunity, Project Development, and the Small Business Development Center.

The dollars for construction would be kept within the community by utilizing local businessmen for engineering and design, materials and labor. Also, the labor force could be combined with the local vocational technical school to give experiential school credits. Also, there would be some jobs created for the maintenance and up-keep of the pool and fitness trail. These jobs could be paid through a local tax increase or grant funding.

An ideal time for construction is the summer months so as not to create an interruption in student schedules. This would also allow for a creative addition to our student summer routine. As stated before, our area is poor. Approximately fifty percent of our student body qualifies for either free or reduced breakfast and lunches during the school year. A grave concern is what do these students do for breakfast and lunch during the summer? How many children go hungry during the summer? Construction could be coordinated with a summer school program, volunteer student program and a summer food program through the Meadow Bridge Coalition on Food & Nutrition. Our community would be improved and students would have an alternative schedule during the summer,. Participation would increase the self-esteem of student volunteers and those who might otherwise go hungry would be guaranteed a nutritious and regular breakfast and lunch.

The long-term benefits of this alternative may be its best feature. The summer recreation and food program might continue year after year. The opportunity for students and local businessmen to work together could foster mentoring relationships, changing lives forever. And very importantly, all of the community and surrounding communities could benefit from this project.

Conclusion

If we succeed in this project, it could inspire surrounding communities to also join in and enhance their community. It also would make good use of what is right now wasted land, and would get something done about the flood problem that exists in that area of the community. There is no one in our community who could not benefit from the improvement to otherwise vacant and unused land. The community benefits of building this indoor swimming pool and fitness trail are evident. This alternative is needed by everyone young and old. Finances obtained would virtually remain within Meadow Bridge, helping our economy and providing needed job opportunities.
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